Presently I work as Asst VP in formulation R&D and my CTC is 72 lakhs. I have a total of 21 years experience post Ph.D degree. How does my salary compare to pharma industry standards? Is it in line with the industry trend or higher than average or lower?

Ans: Now a days if the performance is bad from any company any one can be fired. So just go and join, don't think in a negative way. Best of luck. Professor....................:)

Ans: Go for your first preference. Best of luck. Professor................................:)

Ans: With a 96.02 percentile, you being a general category student having Rajasthan domicile has a slim chance but not impossible to get into NIT-Jaipur (MNIT), especially for competitive branches like Computer Science, but might have a better chance for other engineering disciplines. I think except CSE and ECE you will get other branches in NIT- Jaipur. Best of luck. Professor....................................:)

Ans: For top-tier engineering colleges in and around Delhi, consider IIT Delhi, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Delhi Technological University (DTU), and Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT). With 97.56 percentile you can get chance in any one of them, but in Delhi-IIT you can't get CSE. You can try for all the good ranking NITS. Best of luck. Professor.........................................:)

Ans: NIT ( Civil)

Ans: You can try for online tuition and if you can make your own website it will be good. Professor........................:)

Ans: Take coaching from the institute, not from the private tutor who was in coaching centre. Best of luck. Professor..........................:)

Ans: Taking a loan against your mutual funds and reinvesting in the same fund may seem like an opportunity to maximise gains. However, this strategy carries significant risks.

Key Risks to Consider
1. Market Uncertainty
Small-cap funds are highly volatile.
A temporary market correction doesn’t guarantee strong returns in the next 3 years.
If the fund underperforms, you could face both a loan repayment burden and lower returns.
2. Interest Cost vs. Expected Returns
Loan interest rates on mutual fund pledges typically range from 9-12% per annum.
Your small-cap fund must generate higher returns than the loan rate to make this strategy profitable.
If the fund returns below 12% CAGR, your effective gains will be negligible or negative.
3. Forced Liquidation Risk
If the market corrects further, your lender may sell your pledged mutual fund units to recover the loan.
This could happen at a loss, forcing you to exit at a lower NAV.
4. Overexposure to a Single Fund
Investing additional money into the same small-cap fund increases concentration risk.
Instead, diversification across flexi-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap funds is better.
Alternative Approaches
Instead of taking a loan, consider:

SIP Investment Strategy

Continue SIPs in a staggered manner rather than a lump-sum reinvestment.
This reduces the risk of investing at an unfavourable price.
Diversified Portfolio Allocation

If markets recover, large-caps and flexi-caps may rebound earlier than small-caps.
Diversifying into these categories will balance returns and risk.
Rebalancing Your Current Portfolio

If you have underperforming funds, consider shifting money to stronger funds.
This avoids borrowing costs and interest rate risks.
Final Insights
Taking a loan against your mutual fund for reinvestment is not advisable due to the high risk of market downturns, interest costs, and forced liquidation. Instead, a disciplined SIP approach in diversified funds will offer better risk-adjusted returns.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

Ans: Hello Dear
Chances are there in IIITs but less in NITs. Best of luck to your son.
Follow me, if you like the reply.
Thanks
Radheshyam